BEAUTY REVIEW: Maybelline Dream Mousse Blushes -- DISCONTINUED

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Pink Frosted, Soft Plum, and Rose Petal (L to R)

I came to the conclusion the other night that I have too many items in my makeup stash that I don't use anymore.  I also realized that rather than tossing these used and neglected products into the trash, I was saving them to do a review.  By the way, I take total blame for my procrastination.  Due to my procrastination, some of these neglected or rejected items have been discontinued in the interim by their manufacturers, such as the Maybelline Dream Mousse Blushes.

I previously fell in love with the Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer many moons ago until Maybelline decided to discontinue the concealers, but still stick with blushes and bronzers.  In fact, one of my very first blog posts was about my frustration over discovering that my favorite concealer was no longer available on the market.  I guess Maybelline decided that it was time for the blushes and bronzers to go as well because I noticed on Maybelline's website that these products have been discontinued.

I am not fretting over this news like I did when I found out about the concealer because the Dream Mousse Blushes were just okay.  Perhaps I am too used to powder blushes, so anything that is in mousse or cream form is a little suspect to me.  However, I used these Dream Mousse Blushes periodically for over two months and I was just not sold on them.

I bought and used three shades:  Pink Frosted, Soft Plum, and Rose Petal.  The product comes in a small heavy clear glass paint pot jar.  The blushes really look and feel like a mousse dessert--light weight and a little fluffy.  The color selection was not very large as I recall (maybe five or six different shades?), so I picked the shades that I thought would match my skin tone the best.

The positives:

• Easy application.  I just used my fingertips in lieu of a blush brush.
• The mousse consistency applies with a powdery finish, but more on the finished look below under the negatives.
• Easy items to pack while traveling.  The packaging and blush consistency make these blushes a great product to take with you when you travel because you don't have to worry about your powder blushes cracking or breaking.

The negatives:

•  Limited blush shade selection.  All of the shades looked fairly similar to each other with just fine differences between them.  None of the shades available were particularly bright and most fall along the lines of a subdued pink or health rose shade.  The brightest shade was Pink Frosting.
• The powdery finish does not blend well and has a bit of a glittery finish.  The more I tried to carefully blend the product, the more it started to clump together.  The product also has a bit of a sheen, so if you are looking for a matte finish, this is not the product for you.
• There is not much of a color payoff .  I was a bit disappointed in the limited color payoff of this product.  The shades were pretty in the paint pots, but washed out once applied to my cheeks.  Pink Frosting had the best color payoff compared to the other shades, but not by much.
• The product is not long lasting.  Perhaps it is due to my over blending, but I found that the cheek color faded away by noon.  Rose Petal performed the worst.

I am assuming Maybelline discontinued the Dream Mousse Blushes to replace them with the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blushes.  However, after the lackluster performance of the Dream Mousse Blushes, I am not interested in the Dream Bouncy Blushes.  Oh well, one less product to keep in my makeup stash and with this post, off to the trash can!

BEAUTY REVIEW: Maybelline Fit Me Blushes & Bronzer

From upper left hand corner going clockwise:  Blush in Light Pink, Bronzer in Golden Tan, Blush in Medium Pink, and Blush in Medium Coral.

I've started getting into blushes recently.  Perhaps I am starting to realize that I have enough eyeshadows to last me several lifetimes (okay...that's an exaggeration, but I admit that I have more than enough), but not that many blushes.  I was starting to get tired of using the same coral blush and wanted to branch out and explore different shades and colors, so I figured I would start with the drugstore brands first before laying down some hard earned cash on department store blushes.

My local drugstore was having a sale on Maybelline cosmetic products several months ago, so I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to try out their new Fit Me line of cosmetics.  The Fit Me! line has an assortment of liquid foundations, face powders, concealers, blushes, and bronzers to fit your skin tone.  Maybelline claims on its website that its blushes "provide a natural, fade-proof cheek color that leaves the skin the way it was meant to be...fresh, breathing, and natural."  The bronzers claim to also provide the a fade-proof bronze color.

The blushes come in twelve shades and the bronzers come in three different shades.  I bought the blushes in Light Pink, Medium Pink, and Medium Coral and a bronzer in Medium Bronze (see, picture above).  My local drugstore didn't have all of the twelve blush shades available, but I thought the three that I purchased would be a good start for me and neutral enough to match my skin tone.

Being that I consider myself a newbie on blushes and bronzers, I shouldn't cast stones, but these products failed to even live up to my naive expectations.  The blush and bronze colors look very pretty in their packages, but unfortunately, the compliments stop there.  The blushes and bronzer I bought are not blendable and in fact, the product is so dense that I had a difficult time lifting the blush or bronzer onto my makeup brush.  You actually have to use deliberate scrubbing motions in order get get any product onto your brush.  Furthermore, the blushes and bronzer are not very pigmented.  You need to build quite a bit onto your cheeks in order to see any color payoff.

All in all, the Fit Me line of blushers and bronzers are a huge disappointment and will be tossed into the trash as soon as I am done posting this review.  What's the point?  Maybelline needs to go back to the drawing board with this product.

BEAUTY REVIEW: Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara in Blackest Black

SOURCE:  Drugstore.com

Like I stated in my previous blog about mascara, I don't have long and thick eyelashes.  Instead, my lashes are short and sparse, so whether I have mascara on or not doesn't really matter in the long run because it is unnoticeable.  However, I still wear mascara and am always looking for a product that will create the illusion that I have more lashes and save me from wearing fake lashes.  Honestly, I am just too darn lazy to apply fake lashes every morning.

One day, I couldn't find the tube of mascara that I usually use at the drugstore.  I kind of started freaking out for a bit because I was worried that the brand discontinued it.  My friend suggested that I try Maybelline Great Lash mascara because she read that it is one of the most popular mascaras on the market.  I was a little skeptical, but I was desperate because I just threw away my last tube of mascara.

I purchased the waterproof formula and read the product claims that it it is waterproof, conditions as it thickens with all day wear without clumps, globs, or smudges.  I give this product a huge thumbs down.  This mascara has a wetter formula that I am used to, so with my teary eyes, I quickly noticed smears and the development of raccoon rings under my eyes.  While I noticed that my lashes thicken, it did not lengthen and it took awhile for the mascara to dry.  After about a week of wearing this mascara every day and wiping away the excess around my eyes every day, I decided to mind another mascara.

BEAUTY REVIEW: Maybelline Expertwear Quad Eye Shadow in "Plum Smokes"

SOURCE:  Drugstore.com

I have to admit that I am a huge fan of Maybelline's Stylish Smokes quad eye shadow in "Natural Smokes."  In fact, I previously did a review on that product.  It's a great "go-to" every day eye shadow that you can wear day or night.  Thus, I was looking for more Maybelline eye shadow quads to add to my collection.

I noticed the Maybelline Expertwear Quad in "Plum Smokes" one day as I perused the makeup aisle at the drugstore.  I tend to gravitate to eyeshadows in plum shades and thought this might be a good quad for a day or evening look; just like the "Natural Smokes" quad.

I was right!  I love this quad!  The four shades are separated as follows:

1. Base:  Light peachy shade
2. Lid:  Lavender shade with slight gold undertones
3. Crease:  A subdued violet shade
4. Liner:  A rich chocolate brown shade with a slight sparkle finish.

I follow the numbered sequence on the package, but are more than welcome to mix and match the shades with others you may already have on hand.  These shadows go on easily and lasts long if applied with a good eyeshadow base.  The only drawback I can tell with this product is the packaging.  I really don't understand why Maybelline went from four equal squares to two long ones and two short ones.  To top it off, the rectangular eye shadows (base and liner colors), so you will run out of the based color fairly fast, which probably mades Maybelline happy as we find outselve buys more Maybelline products.  

SHOPPING THERAPY: Maybelline Cosmetics

SOURCE: Microsoft

This week, Long's Drugs is having a 40% off sale on selected varieties of Maybelline cosmetics products.  I used to use Maybelline eyeshadows all the time several years ago, but stopped after they started to irritate my eye area.  Recently, I've rediscovered Maybelline's current product line, which is different from the line that I formerly used.

I am a huge fan of the Stylish Smokes series and have seen numerous videos on YouTube about the Eyestudio eyeshadow line.  The Eyestudio line intrigued me because the colors looked so pretty and blendable, but I refrained because I have so many eyeshadows already.  In fact, I have some quads and palettes that I haven't even tried yet!  Case in point, I just bought my Urban Decay Naked Palette and I haven't dipped by brush in any of the 12 colors yet.

Anyway, a 40% off sale on Maybelline products was too much of a good deal to pass on, so I bought a whole bunch of stuff.  Here's what I ended up getting:

• Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Beige:  I am currently using up my Dream Matte Powder in Sand.  I found that Sand is a little too light for my skin tone so I am hoping that Beige, which is one step darker, will be a better fit for me.  On sale for $4.67.
• Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Rose Petal:  I currently own the Dream Mousse Blush in Pink Frosting and Soft Plum.  I am looking for something between the two and it looks like this shade might be it.  On sale for $4.43.
• Maybelline Eyestudio Eyeshadow in Legendary Lilac:  I love the colors in this quad, especially since I tend to graviate to neutrals and plums.  On sale for $5.69.
• Maybelline Eyestudio Eyeshadow in Copper Chic:  I love the colors in this quad, especially since I tend to gravitate to neutrals and plums.  On sale for $5.69.

As always, I am planning on doing separate reviews on all of these products in the future.  It looks like my make-up collection just got a little bigger!  Sigh...

BEAUTY REVIEW: Maybelline Stylish Smokes Eyeshadow Quad in Natural Smokes

I am trying to refrain myself from buying more eyeshadow quads because my eyeshadow collection is getting too large for what I really need.  After all, I only have one pair of eyes and usually wear a single look per day.  However, I broke down and bought this product in Natural Smokes after rave reviews from various makeup gurus on YouTube.

I thought I would give it a try since I always tend to gravitate toward browns and neutral shades for eyeshadow.  Case in point, I am a huge fan of Revlon Colorstay 12 Hour Eyeshadow Quads in Coffee Bean and Copper Spice, and NYX Trio Eyeshadow in Aloha/Mink Brown/Deep Bronze.

The color pigments in the quad palette are pretty good and tend to last throughout the day.  Although I noticed that the colors have a tendency to blend into one color by the end of the day.  I use the brow, lid, and crease colors eyes.  If I am going for a more dramatic evening look, I will use the outer corner color to line my under eye lash line.  I also use my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion before applying this product to ensure that the colors will last throughout the day and not crease.  I prefer not to use a color base, but have used the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in French Fries in the past.  However, I think the lid color looks better and has a more satin dewy finish on my bare lid without a color base.  It's totally up to each individual's preference.

This product has such a good color pay off that I bought the Stylish Smokes eyeshadow quad in Amethyst Smokes.  I haven't tried that one yet, but intend to in the near future.   All in all this quad is great for day and night time looks.  If you plan to wear this look from day into the night, you may need to reapply as the colors do blend easily.  You may need a touch-up before heading out for the evening.  I totally recommend this product!

BEAUTY REVIEW: Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner in Pewter

I am a faithful user of the L'Oreal Lineur Intense Felt Tip Liner in Carbon Black.  I use this to line my upper eyeline and then if I want a more dramatic evening look, will use a pencil liner for my bottom water line.  Thus, I don't normally line my undereye area.  Is that good or bad?

Anyway, I bought the Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner in Pewter a while ago.  I wanted an eyeliner for my undereye waterline that was waterproof and smudgeproof with a retractable pencil since I hate to keep sharpening eyeliner pencils.  I am so lazy sometimes.  This product looked like it fit all of my requirements.

Unfortunately, while I liked the retractable pencil, my liner faded in no time and washed away by lunch.  I guess I have really watery eyes.  The smokey eye look is one thing, but the racoon eye look is something else entirely and just not my cup of tea.  After one week of use, I quit using it and moved on to a different product.  In fact, as I cleaned out my makeup collection to get rid of old or expired cosmetics, I recently chucked this product in the trash.  Don't forget to check your cosmestics ladies!  However, I am keeping my Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Black because that holds up pretty well.

BEAUTY REVIEW: Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black

I found out about this gel eyeliner from watching YouTube videos from popular makeup gurus.  Most of them  (not all, especially the MAC fans) spoke highly of this gel liner and recommended it as a cheaper alternative to the MAC gel liners.  Furthermore, reviews on Makeup Alley were also generally favorable, so I thought that I would give it a try.

I never used a gel liner before, so I was a bit skeptical at first and worried whether I would be able to apply it correctly.  I had a fear that I would have one eye with a thicker line than the other!  However, my first application went fine and I started to consider whether I should make the permanent move from my beloved L'Oreal Lineur Intense Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner in Carbon Black (I never leave the house without it on!) to this product.  The consistency of the Maybelline gel liner was smooth and fairly easy to apply with the eyeliner brush provided in the package.  I was able to apply a dramatic thick cat eye line or a micro line for a clean look to enhance my eyelashes.  I had to apply the gel liner with small brush strokes to achieve a smooth line.

Unfortunately, I am not giving up my Lineur Intense Felt Tip Eyeliner just yet!  This gel liner is not very waterproof or smudge proof, and within no time at all, my liner would smear and by the end of the day I had a nice set of raccoon eyes.  I was finding myself constantly cleaning my eye area throughout the day.  Also, I could not get my eye line to come out with smooth and crisp lines.  Perhaps I need more practice or maybe a better gel liner (I don't know since this is the first gel liner I've used).  I went back to my L'Oreal felt tip eyeliner.  I don't regret buying this product, but will not probably buy this product again unless Maybelline comes out with a waterproof and smudge proof formula.

BEAUTY REVIEW: Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer...DISCONTINUED

ARGH!  It would just be my luck that when I finally find a concealer that I love-love-love, it's gone-gone-gone!  For my first beauty product review, I was going to review the Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer, but according my favorite makeup review website (http://www.makeupalley.com/), Maybelline discontinued production due to a low demand for this product.

Granted, I haven't been a long time user of this product as I still use my Almay Nearly Naked Cover Up Stick as my primary concealer, but I have recently fallen in love with the Maybelline concealer to add extra coverage for my problem areas.  The mousse consistency enables me to get to hard to reach areas, such as around the nostrils (I prefer to apply concealer with my finger tip rather than a concealer brush).  When applied over my foundation, this product provided great coverage for my dark under eye circles and old acne scars.  I tried the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Double Face Perfector with the concealer on one side of the stick and a highlighter color on the other.  The concealer on this product is not as effective as the Dream Mousse Concealer.

I guess I am just going to suck it up and deal with it.  I am also thinking about trying the Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Set or Sonia Kashuk Let's Face It concealer from Target or the PRO Camouflage FX Concealer Palette from Victoria's Secret.  I am veering away from liquid concealers these days.

Oh Maybelline...I'm so sad...